Organizers including local venue Hotel Foster and apparel business MilwaukeeHome have $19,000 in production costs to pull this off. But they're also trying to collect as much money as possible to help offset the expense for all those Milwaukee artists making the trek to Texas.

They're doing it the best way they know: by putting on a show. Land the Big Gig, a national talent competition presented by Tap Milwaukee and Summerfest, will stage "Milwaukee's South By Send Off" at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Turner Hall Ballroom, 1040 N. 4th St. The event features performances by Klassik, Boy Blue, Ray Nitti, Jayk, Webster X, Le Freak and Hugh Robert Masterson from Hugh Bob and the Hustle. All of the proceeds will go toward the artists playing the MilwaukeeHome Stage during SXSW on March 12.

Tickets are $15 at the door and in advance at the Pabst and Riverside Theater box offices, (414) 286-3663 and pabsttheater.org.